The students of The Lighthouse School returned from winter vacation rested and ready to learn this week! The students continued their study of the classification of living things, focusing on the structure and components of both plant and animal cells. Before the winter break we were able to visit the Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens and the Channel Islands Visitor Center where they learned about local plant and animal life. These visits contributed to their studies in the classroom.
Today the students of the Lighthouse School visited Taft Gardens in Ojai where they were given a tour by Mr. Taft himself. At the gardens, the students learned about the different kinds of plants found in Africa, Australia, and Japan. Throughout the tour Mr. Taft discussed with the students the different processes involved in plant life and how those differ with the specific global regions represented in the garden.
During the trip to the gardens the students practiced many of the Social Thinking skills they have learned over the last few months: finding and following the hidden rules of certain social environments, practicing expected behaviors, and working on their personal behavioral goals.
